2016Bachtrack Ltdhttps://bachtrack.com/themes/bachtrack2013/mastheadlogo.png2016-10-24UTC14:45:04+00:002016-10-24Evelyn Herlitzius and Adrianne Pieczonka are unsinkable in the the French director's final production, conducted with impressive symphonic sweep by Daniel Barenboim. Chéreau's Elektra arrives in Berlinen_GBtruehttps://bachtrack.com/review-elektra-chereau-herlitzius-pieczonka-volle-barenboim-staatsoper-berlin-october-2016Bachtrack Ltdhttps://bachtrack.com/themes/bachtrack2013/mastheadlogo.pngHugo Shirleyhttps://bachtrack.com/22/270/list-published/22604https://bachtrack.com/22/270/list-published/22604https://bachtrack.com/files/45170-hugo-shirley.jpgHugo Shirley is a Berlin-based writer and musicologist. He has written widely as a critic, including for The Spectator, the Financial Times and Daily Telegraph, and has held editorial posts at both Opera and Gramophone. He was editor of 30-Second Opera (Ivy Press, 2015) and is currently working on a critical study of Strauss and Hofmannsthal’s Die Frau ohne Schatten, based on his doctoral thesis. He blogs at http://hugoshirley.blogspot.co.uk and tweets as @hugojeshirley.https://bachtrack.com/files/47811-elektra-evelyn-herlitzius-michael-volle-c-monika-rittershaus-resized.jpg510340Evelyn Herlitzius (Elektra) and Michael Volle (Orest)Monika Rittershaus2016-Oct-23, Staatsoper at Schiller Theater: Elektrahttps://bachtrack.com/opera-listing/staatsoper-at-schiller-theater/elektra/23-october-2016/18-002016-10-232016-11-04Staatsoper at Schiller TheaterBerlinBerlinGermany10625Bismarckstraße 11052.512264813.3181129http://staatsoper-berlin.de/de_DE/calendar-2016-2017/elektra.13878749?utm_medium=display&utm_source=bachtrack.comhttps://bachtrack.com/files/64134-staatsoper-unter-den-linden-berlin.jpg4

2016Bachtrack Ltdhttps://bachtrack.com/themes/bachtrack2013/mastheadlogo.png2016-06-14UTC10:05:25+00:002016-06-13The revival of Das Rheingold at Staatsoper Berlin was still marred by distracting use of dancers on stage, but musically it was a great success. Staatsoper Berlin's Ring revival begins with musically satisfying Rheingolden_GBtruehttps://bachtrack.com/review-rheingold-barenboim-staatsoper-berlin-june-2016Bachtrack Ltdhttps://bachtrack.com/themes/bachtrack2013/mastheadlogo.pngAko Imamurahttps://bachtrack.com/22/270/list-published/16328https://bachtrack.com/22/270/list-published/16328https://bachtrack.com/files/251-ako_imamura.jpegAtsuko (Ako) Imamura is a retired investment banker in New York City. Born in Japan, she trained as cultural anthropologist in the US before turning to ﬁnance. She now spends her time attending opera and classical music concerts in New York and in Europe. Wagner is her favorite opera composer.https://bachtrack.com/files/40903-rheingold-stephan-rugamer-tanzerin-der-eastman-company-monika-rittershaus-resized.jpg510340Stephan Rügamer (Loge) and Dancers of the Eastman CompanyMonika Rittershaus (2010)2016-Jun-11, Staatsoper at Schiller Theater: Das Rheingoldhttps://bachtrack.com/opera-listing/staatsoper-at-schiller-theater/das-rheingold/11-june-2016/18-002016-06-112016-06-25Staatsoper at Schiller TheaterBerlinBerlinGermany10625Bismarckstraße 11052.512264813.3181129http://staatsoper-berlin.de/de_DE/repertoire/das-rheingold.1051193?utm_medium=display&utm_source=bachtrack.comhttps://bachtrack.com/files/64134-staatsoper-unter-den-linden-berlin.jpg4

2015Bachtrack Ltdhttps://bachtrack.com/themes/bachtrack2013/mastheadlogo.png2015-10-07UTC08:24:13+00:002015-10-06Director Michael Thalheimer staging Weber’s Der Freischütz entirely in the Wolf’s Glen, albeit relocated from a “fearsome forest gorge” to what looks like a badger’s sett. A dud bullet: Thalheimer’s Der Freischütz fires blanks at Staatsoper Berlinen_GBtruehttps://bachtrack.com/review-freischutz-thalheimer-staatsoper-berlin-october-2015Bachtrack Ltdhttps://bachtrack.com/themes/bachtrack2013/mastheadlogo.pngMark Pullingerhttps://bachtrack.com/22/270/list-published/15668https://bachtrack.com/22/270/list-published/15668https://bachtrack.com/files/218-1097_4423_markpullinger.jpgMark is one of Bachtrack’s editors and Chair of the Music Section of The Critics' Circle. An experienced opera critic, with a passion for Verdi, he can often be found propping up a standing place at the ROH. He also reviews concerts and dance, with a particular love for Russian and French repertoire. Mark contributes to Gramophone and Opera magazines and blogs at Beckmesser's Quill. https://bachtrack.com/files/29093-freischutz_peter_moltzen_anna_prohaska_berlin_staatsoper_katrin_ribbe_resized.jpg300451Peter Moltzen (Samiel) and Anna Prohaska (Ännchen)Katrin Ribbe2015-Sep-27, Staatsoper at Schiller Theater: Der Freischützhttps://bachtrack.com/opera-listing/staatsoper-at-schiller-theater/der-freischutz/27-september-2015/19-002015-09-272016-05-22Staatsoper at Schiller TheaterBerlinBerlinGermany10625Bismarckstraße 11052.512264813.3181129http://staatsoper-berlin.de/de_DE/repertoire/der-freischuetz.1051192?utm_medium=display&utm_source=bachtrack.comhttps://bachtrack.com/files/64134-staatsoper-unter-den-linden-berlin.jpg3

The world ended again last night. It ends fairly frequently in performances and in recordings, and that schedule tends to innoculate us against Richard Wagner’s political and philosophical messages. If ever there were to be a performance to transcend that, it would come at the Proms, at the conclusion of its first full performance of Der Ring des Nibelungen.

A Beethoven cycle last year, The Ring this year: what will Daniel Barenboim bring to the 2014 Proms? Perhaps, given the recent success of extracts both at the Proms and at Lincoln Center Festival, the smart money is on Karlheinz Stockhausen’s 29-hour, seven-opera cycle Licht. Then again, perhaps not.

“Poetry and again poetry – tenderness mixed with pain; sensuality, a drama surprising and burning, and a rocketing finale.” This is composer Giacomo Puccini describing one of the world’s most famous operas, La bohème.

Few conductors could hold an audience's applause whilst shaking hands with every member of the orchestra and then speaking extensively about politics. Daniel Barenboim, though, on completion of a week-long Beethoven cycle, did so and then dashed to the Olympic opening ceremony to bear the Olympic flag alongside Ban Ki-Moon, among others.

2012Bachtrack Ltdhttps://bachtrack.com/themes/bachtrack2013/mastheadlogo.png2013-11-07UTC16:29:10+00:002012-07-29Barenboim conducts the West East Divan Orchestra in Beethoven's Symphony No 9 at the Proms, reviewed by Rohan Shotton.Prom 18: Beethoven's Ninthen_GBtruehttps://bachtrack.com/review-bbc-prom-18-2012-barenboim-wedo-beethoven-choral-9Bachtrack Ltdhttps://bachtrack.com/themes/bachtrack2013/mastheadlogo.pngRohan Shottonhttps://bachtrack.com/22/270/list-published/242https://bachtrack.com/22/270/list-published/242https://bachtrack.com/files/124-rohan.jpgRohan has reviewed concerts and opera across the UK and Europe, but chiefly in Manchester, where he enjoys conducting and playing percussion and piano. He works as a hospital doctor, having studied in St Andrews and Manchester, and tweets as @RohanShotton.https://bachtrack.com/files/1535-prom_18_cr_bbc_chris_christodoulou_3.jpg400400Daniel Barenboim and Michael Barenboim, leader of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra with soloists (L-BBC / Chris Christodoulou2012-Jul-27, Royal Albert Hall: Prom 18https://bachtrack.com/listing-bbc-prom-18-2012-barenboim-wedo-beethoven-choral-92012-07-272012-07-27Royal Albert HallLondonGreater LondonUnited KingdomSW7 2APKensington Gore51.5014299260821-0.17751932144165http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms?utm_medium=display&utm_source=bachtrack.comhttps://bachtrack.com/files/11116-proms2012_master_72dpi_120mm.jpg4